To save graduating college students some "headaches and money," as GreenPath puts it, the organization has a college loan repayment plan boiled down to a few key steps.

Follow them and GreenPath says you'll minimize the financial and emotional stress from dealing with huge student loan bills:

Know your loan. This may seem obvious, but GreenPath says one of the most common missteps among college graduates facing a loan burden is being uncertain how best to manage it. The firm advises knowing exactly what type of loan you borrowed. Is it a private or government loan? Is it a Perkins or Stafford loan? Who is the lender? What's the balance and repayment status? Knowing what you're up against is the first step in paying it off. (For a good look at all federal student loans, visit the National Loan Data System .)

Start paying on time. Different loans have different grace periods, meaning the time you have before your first monthly loan payment is due. Count on six months for Stafford loans; nine for Perkins loans. If you have a private loan, contact your lender directly. A note: You don't have to wait for your first bill to start paying. Starting early, if you can handle it, is a great head start on your loan repayment campaign.

Set up automatic payments. "Missing payments can quickly get you into financial trouble," GreenPath says. "Pay on time all the time. Setting up payments automatically through your bank account will dramatically reduce the chances of missing a payment."

Don't extend your loan timetable. To thwart constant, bank account-draining loan interest charges, don't extend your loan past the traditional 10-year payment period. GreenPath says that extended repayment plans may lower your monthly payment, but they'll have you paying more interest, and more cash, over a longer period. Also, pay down loans with the highest interest rates first. That can save you hundreds or thousands of dollars in interest.

Leverage tax breaks. GreenPath says that, depending on the size of your paycheck, you may be able to deduct up to $2,500 on the interest you pay on your student loan each year. That can cut your tax bill and leave more cash in your pocket.